Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images The Spurs have an opportunity for another home win against an underwhelming team. Following a brief successful trip to Portland, the Spurs return home for three straight matches, starting with Sunday’s against the Timberwolves. It will be the second matchup of the season between these outfits, with their first one being claimed by San Antonio on Nov. 2. That was the night Chris Paul racked up 15 points and 13 assists and Keldon Johnson added 25 efficient points off the bench. The Timberwolves are a talented team on paper but one of the season’s biggest disappointments so far. They have won five of their last 10 games, and their best player, Anthony Edwards, is averaging 23.7 points on 41.7 percent shooting, including 42.2 percent from 3-point range in that span. The character of this team has not been the same after Karl-Anthony Towns was shipped to New York in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo in the offseason. The Spurs have a nice opportunity to bolster their record against a team that hasn’t been united. San Antonio Spurs (13-12) vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (13-11) Dec. 15, 2024, 6 PM CT Watch: FanDuel Sports Network Southwest | Listen: WOAI (1200 AM) Spurs injuries: Stephon Castle- Questionable (left shoulder contusion), Zach Collins-Doubtful (Bilateral low back contusion), David Duke Jr.- Out (G-League), Harrison Ingram- Out (G-League), Keldon Johnson- Out (left calf strain). Tre Jones- Questionable (left shoulder sprain), Riley Minix- Out (G-League). Timberwolves injuries: Jaylen Clark- Out (G-League), Jesse Edwards- Out (G-League), Joe Ingles- Out (left soleus strain), Leonard Miller- Out (G-League), Daishen Nix- Out (G-League). What to watch for How Wembanyama handles different matchups The Spurs’ first-quarter issues will likely continue because the Timberwolves open games strong while the Spurs are stumbling out of the gates. Expect Victor Wembanyama to be guarded by the three bigs, Randle, Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid. They will try to suffocate him by playing him physically while on and off the ball but his length will be too much for them inside the arc. This will be a night for Paul to shine because the Spurs will need his IQ to manipulate Minnesota’s fifth-rated defense into giving up the 3-point line. Taking advantage of Minnesota’s offense Additionally, the Timberwolves are sixth in isolation frequency as one of the teams that likes to target players. Edwards is going to want to go big game hunting for Wemby as he has before via pick and roll. Setting pick up points for Edwards advancing up court will require high attention to detail because one misstep and he’ll blow by, creating a five-one-four. Yet, it will be easier for the Spurs to guard them while Gobert is active because his teammates lose trust in his weak offensive game. On top of that, Minnesota has a below-average, predictable attack. If the Spurs don’t over-help off the three-point line, they will be in good position late to pull off the victory. Additionally, it will help the Spurs that Minnesota’s offense plays against a set defense for 86.9 percent of their time, per Cleaning the Glass. The Spurs are not favored in this game. The ESPN Bet moneyline is -170 for Minnesota and +145 for San Antonio.